1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bore cleaning tools, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a bore cleaning tool for shotgun barrels and other similar smooth bore devices.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Proper cleaning of firearms, especially shotguns, is essential for proper maintenance and efficient operation. Moisture often collects along the bore defining surface of a shotgun barrel which results in interior corrosion and pitting of the barrel, and residue from fired shells collects in the barrel, such as powder residue, wad residue, and lead buildup from the shot.
Heretofore, the bore of a shotgun barrel has been cleaned using a push rod having a needle-like eye through which a cleaning patch is threaded. The cleaning patch is generally impregnated with a solvent, lubricant or preservative to assist in the cleaning operation and to protect the bore defining surface of the barrel. The saturated cleaning patch is pushed slowly through the bore from the breech and out the nozzle. Thereafter, another patch is threaded through the needle-like opening of the rod and the rod is moved in a to and fro direction through the bore. The process is repeated, often while rotating the rod, in an effort to contact all of the bore defining surface with the cleaning patch.
While some success has been achieved using the prior art apparatus for cleaning shotgun barrels, a major problem resides in ensuring that all of the bore defining surface is uniformly contacted with the cleaning patch. This is more difficult when the barrel is provided with a choke portion having a reduced diameter from the remaining portions of the barrel. That is, in order to effectively push the cleaning patch through the reduced choke portion of the barrel sufficient cloth is often not available to uniformly contact the enlarged bore of the remainder of the barrel. When such occurs, the bore cleaning surface of the barrel is not adequately cleaned and undetected buildup can occur which will require more severe cleaning techniques like the use of a wire brush and thus cause potential marring of the bore defining surface.
Therefore, a need has long been recognized for improved bore cleaning tools which would permit one to substantially uniformly contact the bore defining surface of a shotgun barrel with a cleaning patch regardless of the dimensions of the choke portion of the barrel. It is to such an improved bore cleaning tool that the present invention is directed.